Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-10
NEW YORK'S HOSPITALS
IHE DARE TAKEN or THOSE
FALLING IN THE STREETS.

of the Sick and SufFering-A Large
Corps of Physicians and Nurses Always
on neutrality-suspicious. the Dead
The Working Girls OF the Great City.
NEW YORK, April Gone OF the first
thoughts that asssil a stranger in large
city is 'W hat would become OF me If l
should fall sick or dead in the streetT
He would probably go unidentified
awhile, owing to the fact that he, like 10
per cent. OF the transient persons, has not
taken the precsution to write his name
and residence somewhere about his per-
son. An address in the crown OF the hat
10 often of little service, because the hat
is lost or stolen when the man falls. An
address stitched on the lining Of ones
coat or vest is most servieeable.
In no CITY in America can one fall sick
and senseless with as great sense of Sc
curity in being cared for as in New York.
The city is divided into districts conve.
nient to the several hospitals, and more
than score of am balances, each rum
ming in its prescribed district. are on the
60 all the while. The patient falling
sick or injured on the street will regain
consciousness to find himself in Belle
vue, Harlem. Ninety-ninth street, Pres
bvterlan or Gouvenir hospital, his desti-
nation depending on the district whore he
chances to be stricken down. If II
Is found that he has money and is
able to pay 81 TO $50 week for hospital
care he may be taken 10 New York, st.
Iuke's, Roosevelt, Mt. Sinai, German, St.
Vincent's or st. Francis Hospital. II he
has no money the city charges itself
with his care. Bellevue is the great re-
ceiving hospital. 1t is on the east side
of Manhattan Island, at the foot of Tween
ty.sixth street. 1t is an irregular group
OF buildings arranged around grass
platted court aud built of rough stone,
with piazzas at each story that give it the
appearance of a Southern villa. The
patient is taken on stretcher
into a reception room. where he is
Examined, and the attending physician
decides to which department of the
hospital he must be sent. If he has brCk-
en- a limb or is otherwise MANNED b" goes
TO the surgical department. Ii sickness
and not accident has Overtakon him he
y goes to the medical department corps
sRf twelve physicians AMI forty trained
rises are on hand. The doctors are
pm one of the three medical college
# rps that have access to the hospital or
~ ON the non-cCIiegfate staff. There are
no homeopathic doctors III Bellevue, but
the patient so inclined may be
transferred to the homeopathic hospital.
A corps of forty trained female nurses
From the Bellevue training school are on
duty in Bellevue Hospital. They earn
from SIS to $40 per month, and their
board which amounts to $40 per month,
the sum being paid to the principal of the
training school. Their course extends
through two wears, during which they
have the benefit of the Bellevue hospital
practice. which they, as we'll as the ply
eSctaue, value as superior to any
other experience obtainable In America.
At the end OF two years they are gradu-
.A,a1ed,aud, II at all proficient, thew at once
employment al from $25 to $50 week.
supply OF trained nurses seldom
rs the demand. Great care is exer-
in admitting ladies to the school. A
risingly large number OF well-edu-
ladies from the higher walks OF life
the rrofession. Bellevue at present
me lady nurse who is the daughter
member of the Canadian
1lament and another who came from
Df the aristocratic families Of the
Very frequently young lady who
5Xbeen =, sed in love finds relief in
49, activities of the lie OF nurse in
IISyue. and occasionally one enters
6erYice with no thought but her pro-
<Ion, when one OF her patients falls in
3 {US6tkwlth and eventually msrries her.
There are some very pretty women
caps and blue and white dresses become
them immensely.
When the patient has reached Bellevue
It may be found that his case is a chronic
one, and he will, as soon as able to be
transported, be sent to the Hospital for
Ircurables. His case may be found to he
one OF smallpox or some contagious dis
ease, in which event he Will be sent to
the hospital on North Brother Island, one
OF the several Islands in the East river on
which are public Institutions. If his case
develop into one of erysipelas he will b.
removed to the little wooden pavilion on
the bank of East River that forms one OF
the group of structures called Bellevue
hospital. Insanity may be the outcome
of the disease, and then the patient is
transferred for time to the insane pa
vilion of Bellevue, where a nurse skilled
in insanity will quickly find out
whether or not the patient has de-
mentis, melancholia, religious excitement
or the suicidal tendency. COlored peO-
pie form majority of those afflicted with
religious excitement, and they are al
ways more violent on Sunday than on
other DAYS of the week. The crazy pa
tient who requires long treatment is con-
veyed, If q male, to Wards Island, and,
If a female, TO RlaokwelPs Island. 1t is
O curious custom of New York hospital
practice to rate the males AS "insane pa
tients" and the females as ''lunatics."
In one ward of Bellevue, separated
from the rest OF the room by great iron
CRATES, are number OF patients pacing
the floor like Gagged lions. They are the
attempted suicides, usually about six in
number, and two or more policemen are
constantly on hand to guard them.
The smell of carbolo acid pervades the
great building, aud in summer il Is OPP
pressIve even in the morgue. The hospi-
= Ills on East river, and the most easterly
f 1be community OF buildings; Is a one
Nv structure built on spiles out over
river. This is the mOrgue. 1t Is sided
b red tile from Ohio, hoored VILE
lent and provided with a block and
kle 10 pull up ''hOaters" from the river
|* <1pugh q hole in the floor. On iron stands
r4ifher side OF the building are coarse
3 &6rd collins, many Of them so poorly
mole that they are coming apart. The
z Inc are made by CITY prison ers, and
81 the municipality nothing, except the
n1{Ce of the lumber. There were last
ednesday fifty adult corpses, besides
y 1wenty-iour little c0tins at the north END
~ tbe room containing the bodies OIL chill
LII. The practice OF keeping a
14fpy OF water falling over corpse
* - me morgue is no longer followed, IL
wing been found that the water aids,
" ther than arrests decomposition. In
0'hot sum mer months a red clay, pro-